World War II

With the start of World War II, amphetamine, despite its numerous side effects and the high possibility of abuse, was used consistently and often by all sides throughout the war. Pervitin, as the Germans called it, was the trade name for chocolates laced with methamphetamine. The Japanese used and stockpiled large amounts of amphetamines throughout the war and the United States promoted usage, as the poster above mentions, as a “patriotic” activity in order to combat fatigue. It is unknown whether the various armies were even aware of the long-term effects of amphetamine and methamphetamine use or whether they simply saw it as a short term solution.